


Half-Life

by Satan In Purple (purple_satan)



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: about as wholesome as anything involving peking duck can be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-12 00:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15983744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purple_satan/pseuds/Satan%20In%20Purple
Summary: There's a secret behind the ducklings always trailing behind Peking Duck, one he'd prefer both humans and other food souls not to find out about.





	Half-Life

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, but hear me out: _what if his ducklings were a part of him and kind of like horcruxes???_
> 
> Yeah, he terrifies me even more now too.

_The children must always stay safe._

He pets one on the head, gently wiggling his fingers under its beak as the duckling gives a happy quack. Things have been good, for now, the Master having given him ample room to take care of what she assumed were his wards and the time to take care of them in between his own duties. After all, he did choose to forge a contract with her after naming their care as a stipulation and she easily agreed to it, stating the more the merrier or some similar nonsense with a smile.

Today Gingerbread, Tom Yum and Crab Long Bao are outside with him, trailing behind him just like little ducklings themselves. Some of the more naïve, childlike food souls tend to find him more approachable and he certainly appreciates the façade of normalcy they help him exude by being around him.

“Wow, Mr. Peking!” Gingerbread exclaims, putting one of the ducklings on Crab Long Bao’s head as it squawks in dismay. “These ducklings of yours are really cool!”

Watching them manhandle the ducklings makes him wince momentarily, but he covers it up with a serene smile. Gently scooping up Number Three, he looks on fondly as some of the other ducklings chase Tom Yum, nipping at his ankles and Crab Long Bao sticks his tongue out at Gingerbread.

“Ginger, we should treat all animals with respect,” he gently chastises, placing the duckling in her cupped hands and tapping her on the nose. “After all, isn’t such pure and innocent life sacred?”

Gingerbread nods her head as she pets Number Three more carefully this time, reverently. As though it’s made of glass. Much better.

If only they knew how much of a hypocrite he was.

They can never find out how important these ducklings really are to him, the tiny little things the key to his resurrection and him sustaining his power. Certainly he shouldn’t be taking them out to battle with him but who would he really trust while he was gone with their safety? What if someone found out what the really were? They probably will when they realize the ducks never age, never grow, never hunger; but for now everyone seems happily oblivious of their existence other than being cute little fluffy animals to pet and hold that comically trail behind him.

 _Duck dad,_ many of them call him with a fond smile he returns, only Boston Lobster scoffing at the term and telling people otherwise.

Gazing out at the lake, he sighs as he watches the placid surface ripple slightly when a few decide to hop in and swim around in the water. It's been a calm few days, the Master having decided to focus on building up patronage to the restaurant instead of hunting down more fallen angels and he's starting to feel more at peace during the break and able to recharge his own energy. He's been able to convince Yuxiang to finally leave her room beyond when he or the Master needs her, the food souls all too preoccupied with their own troubles and the imminent danger mobilizing around them, thankfully none the wiser about her malcontent simmering under the surface.

Taking out out his pipe, he begins to fill it with tobacco from his pouch when he hears an astonishingly loud quack from behind him. Whipping around, he finds Gingerbread looking at him terrified and a strange sensation washes over him, followed by a prickle of pain.

One of his ducklings on the ground in between them, struggling to right itself to no avail.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Peking I’m not sure what happened!” 

“Honestly, we didn’t mean any harm!”

Wringing her hands, Gingerbread and Crab Long Bao both bow their heads as their voices overlap and they apologize profusely. He doesn't need to hear their excuses to know what happened, as his ducklings are quite durable but food souls are more powerful than humans even when they aren't trying to be.

Besides, how could he stay mad at them with such beseeching faces, even though he told them time and time again to be careful?

“I think we’ve had our fun for the day,” Peking tells them sternly, crouching down and adjusting his monocle to inspect the duckling’s injured wing. Number Nine is his youngest and tends to be the most frail out of it’s kin with these sorts of things, having only been made recently. Lesson learned. He’ll have to keep a closer eye on the younger ones until they grow to full power in the future.

Plastering a smile on his face he turns to the anxious food souls and gives them a small shrug.

“I can assure you it’s fine and they love all the extra attention, but we are quite tired especially with this minor… setback. Ginger, why don’t you take your little friends Crab and Tom Yum to go practice while I put the ducklings away and I’ll join you after?”

Gingerbread nods her head obediently and Peking pats her on the head, then scoops up the rest of the ducklings in his sleeves. Nine rides on his shoulder, snuggling into the fabric, wing still bent at a strange angle as the three boisterous food souls run off to the training grounds, their voices carrying in the gentle breeze as they squabble over who's fault exactly it was.

Plucking Nine off his shoulder, he looks down at it, frowning slightly.

He’ll have to figure out what he’s going to do with it now that its _damaged,_ but that can always wait for later.

**Author's Note:**

> this lovely piece was inspired by a conversation with [lux](https://www.instagram.com/avarilux/) of whom is both an amazing artist and i owe credit to inspiring everything peking duck related i seem to write these days. if you enjoyed this fic please come find me either on the food-fantasy-support-group discord server or my tumblr [@food-fantasy-support-group](https://food-fantasy-support-group.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
